The cotton growers of Vidarbha region here are up in arms against the meager guarantee price of raw cotton and decided to stage an indefinite dharna before the CM’s house in Nagpur to press a minimum support price of Rs 4500 per quintal, during the ensuing Assembly session, beginning in Nagpur from December 1.

A large number of cotton growers in the region met here on Tuesday, along with thousands of farm widows and adopted a resolution in a day-long cotton conclave, in this regard. The resolution was initiated by Bharati Pawar (35), a farm widow from Saikheda village in Yavatmal district that was unanimously adopted in the conclave.

Speaking on the occasion on the issue Bharati pointed out that when the private traders are buying the produce at Rs 4, 500 a quintal, the cotton growers of the region are insisting that the government too pays the same amount, otherwise they would intensify agitation against the government.

The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) has announced a guarantee price of Rs 3,000 per quintal and said that the procurement of raw cotton would begin in the region from November 9.

Addressing the gathering, Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti and convenor of the cotton conclave, said that meagre guarantee price has triggered widespread discontentment among the farmers. “The procurement rate was not enhanced since 1994 while the cost of agro-inputs, like fertilizers and seeds, were increased drastically and so is the inflation,” he pointed out.

He demanded that the cotton growers should get a compensation of Rs 10,000 for every acre following the recent crop damages due to untimely rains and the government should lift the ban on cotton export. "There is a need to address the issue sensibly. But the government seems to be lacking seriousness," Tiwari alleged and informed that around 700 farmers, mostly cotton growers, have killed themselves in the region this year since January.

Former Shetkari Sanghatana leader Vijay Jawandhia pointed out that when the market rate was over Rs 4,500 per quintal, the union government had announced a meagre guarantee price that would only benefit private traders to exploit the farmers of the region. "We will not sell our produce at Rs 3,000 per quintal. The rate should be not less than Rs 4, 500," he vowed.

"It was also at a time when agrarian crisis is driving distressed farmers of cotton belt to commit suicide despite of two relief packages released by the government," he added. When the meeting was on, one cotton grower, Mahadeo Mahalle (70) of Korpi village in the district committed suicide because of crippling debts and crop failure.

Cotton is the biggest cash crop grown of Vidarbha and parts of Marathwada and Khandesh. The crop’s price virtually decides the fate of three million families in Maharashtra, the highest cotton producing state. The Centre and the state governments have indicated that they would not be in a position to pay over Rs 3,000 per quintal as the minimum procurement price fixed two years ago.

Tiwari said that the farmers were not interested about relief packages. "They need a better remunerative price for their produce that is missing on part of the government," he said.

The meagre Rs 3000 as guarantee price only add to the farmers’ distress and adversely affect the agro-economy of the region. Despite heavy demand in international market where cotton is commanding a premium, the farmers of Vidarbha were being deprived by the government. "We have demanded a guarantee price of Rs 4, 500 per quintal of raw cotton in view of the drastic increase in the cost of agro-inputs, like fertilizers, seeds and pesticides. But the farmers got a raw deal," he pointed out and informed that thousands of cotton growers would participate in the proposed indefinite dharna at the CM House on the issue.

The pro-Telangana leader and noted lawyer, Nurup Reddy, who was the chief guest on the occasion stressed for a separate state of Vidarbha that could bail out the crisis-ridden farmers of the region. The open market prices are already ruling over Rs 4,000 a quintal. While there are clear indications that prices may firm up in international market mainly since Pakistan and China have been ruined by floods, the farmers could take advantage of the situation and export it to the countries like China, Bangladesh, where there is high demand for short staple cotton that we produce," Reddy said. Demanding that MSP be hiked to Rs 4,500, he said such a step could improve the state's economy too as it depends a lot on cotton, he added.

Organised by NGO Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), the conference will seek the government's intervention in increasing the prices of raw cotton from the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs.3,000 per quintal to Rs.4,500 per quintal.

'Cotton is the biggest cash crop grown in Vidarbha region and some parts of Marathwada and Khandesh. The crop's price virtually decides the fate of three million families in Maharashtra, the biggest cotton producing state,' said Kishor Tiwari, president of VJAS.

Tiwari said the central and the state governments have indicated that they would not be in a position to pay over Rs.3,000 a quintal as the minimum procurement price, a rate fixed two years ago.

'But the price is unfair as input costs have gone up in the last two years and so is the inflation. Open market prices are already ruling at over Rs.4,000 a quintal,' he said.

'While there are clear indications that prices may firm up in international market mainly because crops in Pakistan and China have been ruined due to floods, the farmers here could take advantage of the situation and export cotton to the countries like China and Bangladesh, where there is high demand for short staple cotton that we produce,' Tiwari said.

'It has to be essentially understood that if the farmers will not to able to pay back the debt, there will be more farmer suicides,' he added.

Demanding that the MSP be hiked to Rs.4,500, he said such a step could improve the state's economy too.

The conference is expected to be attended by 5,000 widows of farmers and 20,000 farmers from Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. Advocate Nurup Reddy, leading activist of Separate Telangana movement and convenor of Telengana Vikas Kendra, will be the chief guest.

Maharashtra farmers demand higher price for cotton

Kawatha-24th october 2010

Debt trapped cotton farmer Laxman Sonaba Satghare of village kawatha in kelapur tahsil of Yavatmal district committed suicide just one hour earlier due crop failureby consuming pesticide .satghare aged 54 is having 7 acare of land with debt of morethan Rs.85,000 is 630th victim of vidarbha agrarian crisis in the year 2010

Adv.Nurup Reddyleading activist of separate tenlangana movementand convenor of Telengana Vikas Kendra will be chief guest of maharashtra first ‘Kapus Parishad ('cotton Conference')And Renowned Cotton Farmer S Leaders Of The Vidarbha Region Vijay Janwandhia will the presidentof this function which will discuss and set the agenda for future agitation of cotton farmers who are demanding higher prices for raw cotton and relaxation and incentive in cotton export,Kishore tiwari of Vidarbha Janadolan Samitiwho si the convenerofcotton growers will meet on October 26 at Pandharkawda for a 'Kapus Parishad'.

In the 'cotton conference', the cotton growers together with farm activists will wok out a strategy on pricing.

Cotton is the biggest cash crop grown in Vidarbha region and some parts of Marathwada and Khandesh. The crop's price virtually decides the fate of three million families in Maharashtra, the highest cotton producing state. The Centre and the state governments have indicated that they would not be in a position to pay over Rs 3,000 a quintal as the minimum procurement price, a rate fixed two years ago. But farmers pressure groups like Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, which is organising the conference, say the price is unfair as input costs have gone up in the last two years and so is the inflation, Samiti President Kishore Tiwari has said in a release today. Open market prices are already ruling over Rs 4,000 a quintal. While there are clear indications that prices may firm up in international market mainly since Pakistan and China have been ruined by floods, the farmers could take advantage of the situation and export it to the countries like China, Bangladesh, where there is high demand for short staple cotton that we produce," Tiwari said. Demanding that MSP be hiked to Rs 4,500, he said such a step could improve the state's economy too as it depends a lot on cotton.

In the mean while vidarbha farm widows association has extended support to the cotton growers demands and announced that hundredsof vidarbha farm widows will attend 26th October'cotton Conference' at pandharkawada and will actively joiningthe agitation afterward ,Arpana Malikar secretary of vidarbha farm widows association informed in statement today.

‘It was very sad day for the villagers of Pimpalkhuti in suicide hit district of Yavatmalto take part in funeral of Bebitai Pongade farm widow whose husband Nilkanthrao Pongade died in debt a year before a last was 627th victim of on going agrarian crisis in the yaear 2010 claimed another five more farm suicides in last 48 hours as per reports reaching hereand the deceased include

1.Pundpundlik Kakad of Village Mangrul in Akola

2.Santosh Belsare of Viallge Adegoan in Amaravati

3.Sanjay Suryawanshi of Village Wadegoan In Bhandara

4.Ramesh Jadhav of Viallge Marsul in Yavatmal including

5.Bebitai Pomgade of Pimpalkhutti in Yavatmal

According to Kishor Tiwari of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) which has been documenting farmers' suicide in Vidarbha, attributed the extreme step taken by the farmers to the heavy crop loss and 'failure' of Bt cotton in over six million acres. vidarbha suicide spiral is slow spreading towards paddy growing region of vidarbha from cotton growing west vidarbha as now more suicide s are paying reported from east vidarbha too .Tiwari added.

The cause for the farmers' despondency is the crisis arising out of the delay in cotton procurement and forceful loan recoveries by banks and private micro finance agencies operated illegally as Govt. owned banks failed to provide fresh credit to dying distressed farmers even after intervention of administration, Tiwari alleged.

‘The news of a bumper cotton crop and skyrocketing prices was far different from the ground reality as the Central government was under pressure from textile lobby to bring down the raw cotton prices whereas the high international rates and hence was not opening cotton procurement centers in Vidarbha is adding fuel in the hardshipd of farming community of vidarbha as on an average, a cotton farmer spends about Rs 30,000 per acre and may get a maximum yield of about four quintal that doesn't even puts him in a position to break even and hence the farmers are under perennial economic strain’ Tiwari said

“Cotton farmers are demanding that C.C.I (Coton Croprn. of India) should start procurement at the rate of Rs.5000/- per quintal Open market prices are already ruling over Rs 5000 a quintal. While there are clear indications that prices may firm up in international market mainly because crops in China and Pakistan have been ruined by floods, the Indian farmer could take advantage of the situation and export to the countries like China, Bangladesh, where there is high demand for short staple cotton that we produce” said Kishore Tiwari of the VJAS

Themassive celebration of ‘Dasara festival’ in urbanIndia has over showed the on going agrarian crisis in dying feld of vidarbha where sevenmore debt trapped farmers killed themselves on th e eve of this mega festival thus taking toll 622 in year 2010

Recent victims of vidarbha agrarian crisis are

1.Waman Awariof Borgoanin Yavatmal

2.Vijay DandageofRatnapur in Yavmal

3.Dhyaneshwar Choudhariof Eklara in Yavamal

4.Prabhakar Wakte of Kothari in Akola

5.Ladhu Madavi of Chopamgudain Chandrapur

6.Bhiagirath Pathorkarof Sadarabadiin Amravati

7.Raju Lahorkarof Pimpalkhuata in Washim

The heavy crop losses and failure of Bt.cotton in more than 6 million acres anddelay in cotton procurement crisis is the main cause Despondency, despair and deep distress is the main cause of these suicides,Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti(VJAS )informed in press release today

Asin the international market cotton bales are trading aboce Rs.42,000/- mark and domestic market demand of cotton has been all time high but central Govt. under pressure from textile lobby trying to crash the cotton prices that’s they are not opening the procurement centers in vidarbha .cotton farmers are demanding that main procurement agency of Govt. of India ,Cotton corporation of India(C.C.I) should open the procurement centers in all, places in order to stop main exploitation of farmers who are denied the market price of the raw cotton which is more than Rs.5,500/- per quintal,Tiwari said.

cotton crop has received fresh threats of ‘Lalya fungal attack (Redning of leaves)’ that will also reduce the total yield , Kishor Tiwari of VJAS added.

‘There are only news of bumper cotton crop and sky rocketing prices but the ground reality is totally differentcotton farmers have done more than Rs.30,000/- per acre expenses and likely to get not more than 3-4 quintal cotton production maximum ,is not making the break even under bigstrain of economic losses and debt that’s reason such high numbers of suicides reported in festivals season .it’s high time to address the on going vidarbha agrarian crisis’Tiwari urged.